1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pass-through fitting and corresponding driver, particularly suited for use in preparative or analytical instrumentation and other applications, and methods for their use.
2. Description of Related Art
Fittings through which fluid tubing and other lines pass are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,997 to Altura discloses a fluid tube fitting and an adapter to tighten the fitting.
Similar fittings are often utilized in various preparative or analytical instrumentation, such as some types of chromatography, mass spectrometry instrumentation. Tubing is generally provided to fluidly interconnect various subassemblies that may be remote from one another and/or located in isolated environments. How and where to position and secure the tubing while maintaining the integrity of the fluid isolation may be a particular challenge.
The subassemblies often include fluid containers, valves, and other components having ports and other means through which the tubing runs. However, preparative or analytical instrumentation is often housed in such close quarters that the size and geometry of the fittings is a major design concern, and obtaining access to threaded fittings with a wrench even more so. In light of the foregoing, it would be beneficial to have methods and apparatus which overcome the above and other disadvantages of known fittings.